[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 26 (Friday, February 26, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E263-E264]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         NATIVE HAWAIIAN GOVERNMENT REORGANIZATION ACT OF 2009

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. NEIL ABERCROMBIE

                               of hawaii

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 23, 2010

  Mr. ABERCROMBIE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to show further support 
for H.R. 2314, the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act of 
2009 and would like to submit for the Record a letter of support from 
the Honorable Calvin Say, Speaker for the House of Representatives in 
the Hawaii State Legislature.

                                                  State of Hawaii,


                                     House of Representatives,

                                  Honolulu, HI, February 19, 2010.
       Aloha,
       I write to express my support for you, the Hawaii 
     Congressional Delegation, in your efforts to pass the Native 
     Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act.

[[Page E264]]

       The Native Hawaiian people have sought passage of this bill 
     for ten years. The Hawaii State Legislature, which serves as 
     the representative voice of Hawaii's people, has demonstrated 
     continued commitment to Native Hawaiian self-governance and 
     self-determination by unanimously affirming three separate 
     resolutions supporting federal recognition of Native 
     Hawaiians.
       Thank you for creating an atmosphere of dialogue with the 
     various stakeholders. I appreciate your diligence and 
     openness in working with the state administration and 
     community constituencies to address the best approaches 
     offered. I trust your judgment in this matter, and am 
     confident that through your careful and thoughtful 
     deliberations, we will have a measure that is worthy of the 
     goals to which we have all aspired over the last ten years.
       I believe that the people of Hawaii recognize it is time to 
     deliver a fair process for Native Hawaiians to resolve 
     longstanding concerns in their community as other Native 
     peoples have done. Federal recognition is an essential 
     component in advancing the social and economic condition of 
     Native peoples. To deny Native Hawaiians the rights of self-
     determination and self-governance as accorded to other Native 
     peoples goes against the very principles of justice and 
     fairness on which our country was founded.
       The Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act provides 
     an empowering and stable structure on which Native Hawaiians 
     can build a prosperous future for themselves and for our 
     state. Both our identity and the economic well-being of our 
     state are very much intertwined with the well-being of the 
     indigenous peoples of our island home. Effectuating a 
     balanced process that will bring clarity to this issue is the 
     right thing to do for our state, Native Hawaiians and all of 
     the citizens of Hawaii.
           Sincerely,
                                                  Calvin K.Y. Say,
     Speaker of the House.

                          ____________________